If Viviani’s participation in the Paris road test is an option on the table, what does the interested party think about it? Amadio’s words say and do not say: the decision has not been made, but it is clear that it is being talked about. And if the Olympic logic is to favor the specialties with the highest medal chances, it is clear that the track is a step forward. We won the last major men’s races between 2021 and 2022 with Colbrelli and it is difficult to name the names of those who could bring us a medal. This being the case, Viviani’s presence on the road would be functional to its theoretically more profitable use on the track. As said several times, we are in the field of hypotheses, but there is so little left until the Olympics, that a possible change of program should take place within a few weeks. On the contrary, what will Bennati think when he only has three places available and among these could one be that of Viviani and another could it be necessary to reserve for a chronoman?
Viviani is in Livigno for the first block of work in view of the Games (opening Instagram photo in the wind tunnel of the Polytechnic of Milan). When he arrived last week for the presentation of the Giro stages, it was still snowing and he only managed to train one day. Yesterday, when we heard it, it was 6-7 degrees and a beautiful day. The lifts are open for the last ski runs, thanks also to the artificial snow, but cycling is great. So, after shooting some videos, the Rio 2016 Olympic champion did two hours of high intensity cycling and then the gym.
We had done an interview in which you still didn’t know if you would go to the Giro and you assumed a pure pistard preparation…
On that occasion, I explained that there were two ways to get to Paris. One was the Giro, the other was to focus on specific jobs. When I left the Giro team, only the second chance remained.
Then Denmark’s choice for Morkov came out and we wondered if it couldn’t be a path to follow with you too. Amadio says that it is one of the hypotheses on the table and that nothing has been decided yet. But let’s say it goes through, what Viviani could we expect?
I couldn’t be competitive, at least in the sense of getting a result. It’s obvious that I’m a road racer and my preparation for the Olympics will still contain stage races. As I said last time, in each block of work I will continue to do my distance, though it’s an Olympics with 90 runners, it’s utopian to think that a result can be achieved on the road. So obviously the option of running the road would see me competitive, but my goals at the Olympics are the omnium and the American. It would be an option to free up the extra space we would need on the track. I could play a supporting role. We know the Olympics can be a crazy competition, so obviously I won’t come unprepared. The distances, if I do the Olympics on the road, instead of being 4-5 hours, will be 6, because in any case the race is 270-odd kilometres.
Could we get there ready even without the Giro?
It doesn’t worry me in terms of fatigue, in the sense that we have analyzed that the recovery times are there. My omnium is five days after the road, not the next day or two days like the team pursuit. But I think that in modern cycling it is clear to everyone that in a race of 90 riders, if Van der Poel and those like him prepare well, they can do what they want. There will be selection, I don’t see a sprint finish.
So it’s not a matter of Elia not winning a certain type of race since 2019 or not doing the Giro d’Italia. Is it really an objective situation linked to running, regardless of preparation?
Yes, in my opinion yes. I believe that even that Elia in this cycling would not be competitive for a medal on the road. Spread over 273 kilometres, 3,000 meters of altitude difference doesn’t seem like much, but it’s more than Flanders which has 2,600. So there’s room to make a mess, adding the fact that you’re running without teammates. If Holland, Belgium and two other nations that run in four bring one each to pull, get there, let go of the classic breakaway and then pull for 200 kilometres, then it’s a normal race. If instead they bring four semi-forwards and don’t put anyone to shoot, it happens like in London, where those who started first arrived.
So if we want to play with hypotheses, Viviani’s role in a race like this would be precisely to lend a hand to the other two in plugging the holes while they can?
Absolutely.
Do you think it would be worth going to see the route?
I don’t know, to tell the truth and just to demonstrate that it is still an option, whether Bennati has planned a “recon” or not. I don’t know if you asked him, I don’t know. My idea is that at the moment we have a medal card and it’s a super day for Bettiol. Then Benna will evaluate him, obviously he is the citizen. But looking at the classics, we had an exploit from Mozzato. He demonstrated that after 270 kilometers, if he covers himself well, he can sprint with a group of 5-6-7 runners. But in the end Bettiol demonstrated once again that when he has days like at Milan-Turin, he can have his say.
When this option was mentioned, what did you think?
I would be very happy if it were to go in this direction. In the end, after London it would be my second participation in the road Olympics: it’s an honor and it’s beautiful. On the other hand, I am aware of the fact that my medal can come in the omnium, so I have to be 100 percent ready for that, because that’s where I want to get the gold again. It’s obvious, however, that a road Olympics deserves respect, I wouldn’t participate just to leave. On the other hand it is obvious that if I enter a breakaway of twenty riders at the start, I cannot be in a situation where after five hours the light goes out. So it is obvious that my preparation will also contain some six, six and a half hour days, because I know that a 260 kilometer classic needs those hours. For the rest, however, my approach will have specific work aimed at the track. I’m working already, this is the first block. We are talking about 20 second, 30 second, one minute, two minute, three minute high intensity workouts, which I will combine with distances. Anyway I do my 20-25 hours a week on the road, I’m not stuck on the track seven days a week. Here in Livigno I spend 16 days and I will never go down to Montichiari.
Does the program include stage races?
Without the road race, after the Tour of Hungary I would have two months of work in the velodrome and I would arrive at the Olympics with a lot of track and only road training. With a possible road race, it’s obvious that my calendar would have to change. I definitely won’t do the Tour, but I could add one between the Dauphiné and Switzerland, or Austria. I have to look carefully at the team’s calendar, to analyze with them which stage races I can do. The truth is that for a race like this, a quality approach is needed, therefore Dauphiné or Switzerland. Even if they are hard, they are probably the ones that would help me achieve the resistance I need.
Would it be useful to know as soon as possible?
In May I will definitely do Hungary and Norway. Then I join the others arriving from the Giro and we do the second block of altitude. In that period we have to decide, between June and July, but the sooner we know the better. I think everyone, even Amadio, is waiting for Benna to have clearer ideas on the three names, in order to put them on the bench and understand the chances we have. This is the scenario and I hope that when a decision is made, it will also be communicated, so that we are all aware.
Is doing that 273 kilometer race before your last Olympics on the track an advantage or a disadvantage?
I don’t think it can be functional in terms of resistance. A Giro d’Italia could help me, not a one-day race. On the other hand, however, I don’t think he will have an impact on my path as a track racer. I have my own patterns. I have to get to August 8th having it in my legs the work I need for those three 15-minute times of the first three tests of the omnium and the half hour of the points race. I have to keep the resistance level high, because that’s what allows us road riders to make the difference in the points race, as happened in Tokyo. I was out of the medals, but the points race put it back around my neck. I’m sure I’ll get to August 8th having done everything I need to for the omnium. And doing the road race five days before will not create any problems for me.
